Suffocate
by Meg The Monster
Summary: Contains: incest, blood, violence, and sort of itaxsasu...Sasuke is struggling against the curse mark and himself. An unexpected visitor comes to haunt him and hurt him even more than Sasuke can imagine.
1. Destroy Me

Suffocate

Contains rape, incest, mild blood, and some violence.  
None of the characters used belong to me.  
They belong to Naruto...well the anime and manga.  
Hope you enjoy!

* * *

_As the sun rises in the modern world, the darkness begins to cast over me. I see my world becoming something I know it shouldn't. I make the mistakes I regret making later on and wish someone out there understood my battles and my fears. As the sun progresses through the day, my world collapses in my hands and I'm unable to repair it fast enough. I'm unable to fix the things that need repair and leave the things that don't need repaired alone. My confusion is rising at an alarming rate and the people around me that care about me look upon me with fear. As the sun sets, the collision between mind and body reach it's breaking point. I'm too exhausted to live yet too energetic to die. What's more... my mental suicide begins again when the sun rises the next day. _

* * *

The dark hallways line the huge manor. It once stood proud and full of life. Now it's only a reminder of what can happen when a child decides to rebel. It still haunts the minds of the villagers who lived near it or even made a passing glance at it. The screams that interupted the night still haunt the empty rooms. The smell of death still lingers occasionally. The smell of blood always seems to remain on the stained wooden floors. It hasn't changed for some years now, and most likely will never change. The manor of the once great Uchiha clan...now left to rot away into nothing along with the memories it once held. It doesn't seem the type of thing most people could live in let alone try to remember every detail of the entire house. All except for two people; one unaware of what the other actually recalls or even if he remembers this place at all. 

A cool, August breeze blows during the night. The sound of punches against a wooden floor echo around the empty walls of the manor. It's 1:27 in the morning, and Sasuke Uchiha is wide awake; angrily attacking the wooden floor in his bedroom. He punches it hard with his fists, barely able to feel the bruising he's already caused on his knuckles. He barely notices anything except the ripping pain of the curse mark burning on the back of his neck. He wasn't even doing anything; just sleeping. How could sleeping suddenly put him in this immense amount of pain. Sasuke wished he knew the answer. He storms out of the room to the bathroom, heaving into the toilet bowl. This had been going on for more than a week. What was happening to him? He spat the rest of the contents up, flushing once more. He looks in the mirror that hung above the sink. The person that looked back at him was something he could barely recongnize. "Look at you Sasuke. Barely able to keep food in your stomach and unable to even recongnize the reflection that stares back at you. How do you call this living?"

He grips the sink counter, angry tears dripping down his face. It's almost too much for him to deal with. Calming himself down, he looks into the mirror again. The reflection suddenly changes. It takes the shape of someone he'd rather not see; his older brother, Itachi. It stares blankly at him. "Silly little brother. Look who you are becoming. And you said yourself you'd never become anything like me. That you wouldn't become an evil person who lusts after power and pleasure. Foolish little brother. You still lack hate...and you always will." it sneers.

Sasuke screams angrily, punching the glass mirror. It shatters, scattering across the sink and the bathroom floor. His knuckles on his left hand bleed, glass piercing into one of the wounds. Sasuke runs to the towel closet, wrapping a bandage around it and removing the broken glass. He returns to his bedroom, sitting on his bed. His elbows rest against his legs as he hunches over. _I'm not weak. I'm not becoming like him. I'll never become him. A cold-hearted killer; that's all he ever is. Power means nothing to me. Itachi means nothing to me. So why won't he leave me be? Why did he even do that? There wasn't any justly cause. Why...is he making me suffer for what he's done? _Sasuke buried his face in his hands, trying desperately not to cry. He had enough with crying. Crying makes a person a weaker. Emotions make a person weaker and more vulnerable. He was an avenger. Weakness wasn't an option. He laid down on his bed, staring at the brown-colored ceiling. Sleep finally overcoming his body.

* * *

Morning's glow touches his skin as it shines through the window. Sasuke rises up and wipes sleep away from his eyes. He stands to his feet, walking slowly to the bathroom. He runs cold water onto his face. He looks at the remaining glass pieces of the mirror, noticing a figure behind him. He turns around, checking to see what it might be. He turns back around, his sharingan activated. The figure moves closer to him. Before Sasuke has any time to react, it grabs his head and puts an arm around his neck. "Too slow." the voice sneers, dragging Sasuke to his room. 

The mysterious person throws Sasuke down on his bed and locks the door behind him. Sasuke turns around to see who the person might be...and Itachi Uchiha stares at him directly in his eyes. A mixed batch of emotions comes towards his body. Anger and rage pour into his eyes. Itachi smiles coldly at him, observing his brother thoroughly before beginning to speak. Itachi eyes the strength his sharingan possessed; more so than his had when he was his age. His body was more toned and built; no surprise. His hair and face had not changed but slightly matured. For some reason, Itachi even noted how his brother slept without a shirt on. This made him smile even more. "Looks like someone has done some growing up since our last encounter." Itachi replies. "You actually have the appearance to put up a good fight. But like they say, looks aren't always everything."

Sasuke grits his teeth together. He clutches his fist, his wound from last night still sore. His body tenses up, something he hadn't expected. His eyes watching every step Itachi took. He observes his brother as well, eyeing every part of him. His long hair still tied in a pony tail. He still wore black eyeliner and painted his nails. His body still well-built and properly functioning; that could be a disadvantage for him. He still even had the same scars that crossed from the corner of his eyes to the his lower face. "Apparently you've taken that to heart, but you'd actually have to a heart." Sasuke sneers. "You're heart was taken the night you killed our family."

Itachi grabs his brother by his throat and shoves him against the wall. He wants to kill him, just end the internal battle so he won't constantly have to let it bother him. But why end it now when it was so much fun watching Sasuke struggle not to become what he wants him to. Internal torture...and he wasn't even doing anything this time. Such a pleasure to watch in his book. Itachi brings his mouth close to Sasuke's ear. Sasuke winces, struggling to pull away and to catch his breath. "You still lack hatred and the strength to kill me. To make your battle worse, you now are struggling with yourself. You're weak." he whispers in his ear viciously.

Sasuke winces once more, trying not to listen to his brother. He wants desperately to get away; to escape the feeling his skin against his neck. Itachi moves his face away and begins kissing Sasuke's neck, moving his hand away and holding his wrists above his head. Sasuke tries to move him, but his body is no match while Itachi has him pinned. Itachi kisses Sasuke's skin, down his chest and back up. He uses his chakra to hold Sasuke's hands and legs against the wall as he moves down his whole body. Sasuke struggles not to whimper and to escape his grip. His hormonal body taking over him. He tries to concentrate on his hate, but Itachi is too much for him. He bites his lip hard as Itachi's mouth stops between his legs. "Please...don't do this to me." he says, hoping to hit a nerve on Itachi. Maybe part of him had some sort of heart.

Itachi looks up as brother, swallowing before smiling at him. He continues, knowing Sasuke is about to reach his breaking point. Sasuke closes his eyes tight together. His desperate attempt failed. It made him look even weaker in front of his brother. His teeth still digging into his lip, trying not to sigh. To his disliking, a single quiet sigh escapes his lips. Itachi raises up to his brother and smiles in victory. He removes the chakra holding his legs, separating them farther apart before he adds more chakra. Sasuke stares at his brother. _No he wouldn't...he wouldn't do this! Not now! _Itachi undresses himself in front of his brother, still hanging on the wall. When he returns, he stares into his brothers eyes before he thrusts against him. Sasuke looks down first then looks back up away from Itachi's gaze, horror-stricken of what was happening. He bites harder on his lip, conjuring up any strength he had in him to try to remain silent. Itachi's body against his own is enough to do it. But this...this was farther than he expected his brother to go.

Minutes run by before Itachi is finally satisfied. Sasuke's body is weak and sore, barely able to move. Itachi removes the chakra holding his body, letting it sink to the floor. Sasuke tries to move himself to somehow get his clothes on, but his muscles are too weak to move. His eyes are bloodshot red from crying, something he didn't want to do. His groans in pain as he moves away from his brother. Itachi pulls him up by his hair, holding him so he looks directly in his eyes. Sasuke tries desperately to look away but Itachi holds his face in his hands, forcing him to. "I enjoy our little one-on-one meetings. We'll have to do this again sometime." His voice was sickly happy as he drops Sasuke to the ground, grabbing his clothes to redress himself before disappearing.

Sasuke stumbles to his feet, reaching for any sort of clothes near him. His body aches and he trembles in fear. He holds his body up against the wall, stumbling with every step to reach the bathroom. He looks in the mirror. His skin is covered with bruises and cuts. His eye is blackened and his lip is busted open. His wrist and legs are bright red from the chakra holding them up. He turns on the shower, groaning in pain as the warm water pours down his skin. The water helps his skin, but the pouring water against it made it hurt even worse. He turns off the shower, tears streaming down his face. Reaching for his cellphone on the counter, he quickly dials a number that he knows he can depend on. "Naruto, can you please come over here? It's an emergency."

* * *


	2. Undeniable

**Suffocate  
Chapter 2**

_I can't face him. He's an ever-haunting nightmare that runs wild through my mind and towards a memory that I'd rather not constantly live through. It's not a gift; it's a curse. The way it toys with me and breaks the little heart I have into tiny pieces. They shatter, crashing down onto the floor below and I have to watch it. I'm not sure how I could even fix it let alone bring myself to know that this is my daily reality. A curse that I feel 100 of the time and it never gives me a chance to catch my breath. It's like I'm being pushed under the water by a strong force and it's watching me drown. I don't think much more of me can handle this kind of pain. That kind of person. It's too terrifying to imagine the reality behind it all. _

* * *

Dusk fills the sky of the leaf village. It's barely 7:00 in the morning and already the distinct sound of running can be heard through the city streets. The footsteps are quick on the ground as water splashes against his pant leg. The young man is barely notices the bit of cold. He's too focused on something to even notice. He pushes his body harder as he runs down the next street. His blond hair flailing behind his. His cheeks red from the cold breeze that blows on his face. His eyes staring forward in an almost intense gaze. He seems more bothered than ever. _"Please be conscious when I get there. Please don't be dead. I don't think I could deal with losing you. Just the way you sounded on the phone was enough for me to start crying myself. I can't believe you were actually weeping over the phone. It's almost too frightening to imagine you in that sort of state," _the young teen thinks to himself. He turns the next corner. The view of the large Uchiha manor meets his eyes. His pace quickens once more. _"I'm coming Sasuke."_

Rays of sunlight cast through the giant window as Sasuke Uchiha sits against the wall. His eyes are red from crying. His throat his sore from yelling. His body is bruised and beaten after his brother's attack. He's barely able to speak or even feel anything. His body is still numb. Several cuts and scraps still draw blood as they drip to the floor. Sasuke doesn't even notice. He's too weak to even keep his eyes open. His body too sore to move on its own. _"This is pathetic. I can't even move on my own. I bet I can't even stand without crying out in pain."_The boy pushes up against the wall, using whatever strength he had left to lift himself onto his feet. Blood-curdling pain races through his entire body, and he falls back to the floor. _"This is completely pathetic. I can't even stand without it hurting. But Itachi...why would he do something like that? How could he do something like that? He doesn't even realize that I've been through enough as it is? Doesn't that mean anything to him," _he thinks to himself, tears streaming down his cheeks. Sasuke pounds violently on the floor, the pain shooting through his hand. He didn't care anymore. It wasn't worth his time to even care. Right now, nothing seemed to matter to him. He suddenly hears pounding coming from outside his room. He backs against the wall, praying that it wasn't Itachi. His door bursts open...and Naruto Uzumaki stares at him. "Sasuke...oh my god Sasuke," his friend says, falling next to him and holding his friend.

Sasuke pushes the pain that curled up his back. For right now, he felt safe in the arms of his friend. Naruto holds Sasuke's face in his hands. The bruises and marks pierce into his eyes. He'd never seen Sasuke like this before. It was almost too much for even him to handle. His eye blackened and red from crying. His lip swollen slightly and busted open. Blood still dripped from several wounds on his body. His wrist seemed appear almost broken in half. It was more of a nightmare than he thought it was. He looks at his friend, horrified. "I came as soon as you called. We have to get you to the hospital. And you need to tell me everything that happened," Naruto says.

The raven-haired boy looks away, ashamed of what happened. He didn't think he could tell Naruto without crying. It made him feel even weaker than he already was feeling. He tries to ignore Naruto, not wanting to look in his directions; but those eyes, full of worry and concern, stared back at him. He couldn't resist though eyes any longer. He breathes in slowly, a sliver of pain running through his lungs, before he speaks. "Look Naruto...it's more complicated than just Itachi came after me and attacked me. It's more horrifying than that. And I'm not sure I can tell you without crying again," Sasuke admits. Naruto doesn't take his gaze off of him. He wants to listen; do whatever it takes to cry to help his friend. Sasuke sighs. "Itachi didn't just attack me Naruto. He raped me. My brother actually raped me. I didn't think he'd even do something like that but he did. Itachi raped me, Naruto ok? Happy? Now you know the truth." His voice is more in a yelling tone. His black hair hangs in front of his eyes. He can't bare to face his friend.

Nothing but fear fills Naruto's face. He looks at his friend, horrified. He can scarcely imagine the horror of what Sasuke had gone through. He could now understand why Sasuke might not want to go to the hospital. He could understand why Sasuke was in an almost grieving sort of manner. But just thinking of this, of something like this happening to Sasuke, was enough to rattle his own emotions. It hurt him even more knowing that it happened to a person he felt more towards. He couldn't bring himself to look Sasuke in the face either. The one thing he regrets most was that he couldn't bare to look at Sasuke. It killed him inside to think of an experience like that. He swallows hard, wanting more than anything to just hold Sasuke and comfort. But even that might not work right now. "Look Sasuke, I know right now the last thing you need are comforting words. But I just want to tell you something...because right now, you need to know ok," he says. Sasuke looks over in his direction, Naruto looks away. "Look, I know this might not help...but I want you to know that I care about you. It nearly terrified me to get that phone call because I thought something worse might've happened. It truly scared me. Maybe it's just a crush or maybe it's love. Right now, I'm not even sure myself but I know when I heard the way your voice sounded, I almost cried. I'm scared for you, Sasuke. And...I never want to hear the way you sounded ever again. It'll kill me," Naruto finishes.

The raven-haired teenager looks at his friend. The pain suddenly seems to slip away from his skin. He could tell from the way his eyes look and the way he nervously fidgets with his shirt that Naruto wasn't lying about this. It was weird seeing him this way. Sasuke never expected something like that. It was almost enough to make an eerie feeling tingle up and down his spine. He pulls his friend's face towards him, Naruto still fighting to look away from his gaze. Sasuke pulls his own face closer, his lips inches away from meeting Naruto's. He didn't think he should try anything now. Not while he was this weak. He was too afraid it would push Naruto even farther from him. Naruto finally gets the courage to look Sasuke in the eyes. Sasuke, reaching breaking point, pulls Naruto's face towards his own. Their lips meeting in the middle. Naruto's eyes widen. He wants to pull away but his hormonal teenage body won't allow him. He kisses him back. Sasuke softly strokes his chest. Naruto's mouth opens a little, allowing Sasuke to slip his tongue through. A bead of sweat drips down Naruto's forehead. He's nervous. Sasuke pulls back. Naruto looks him in the eyes. "I didn't expect that to happen," Naruto responds suddenly. Sasuke smiles at him. "Sasuke, we still have to get you some sort of treatment. I won't allow you to try and heal yourself. The hospital can find a way to help, even if it means they find out about the rape."

"I can't let them right now," Sasuke interrupts him. "I can't let anyone find out about this. I'm not ready to get those looks that nurses and doctors give you. I'm not ready for truly anyone to know besides you. I can't deal with that. I'll let people know when I'm ready but right now, I'm not." Sasuke pauses for a moment, looking away from his friend's gaze. "I can't let anyone find out about this. All anyone needs to know is that Itachi attacked me. That's it. Promise me you won't tell anyone." The look Naruto gives him is not reassuring. "Promise me, Naruto."

Naruto looks away from his friend. A greedy trick to kiss him like that and then expect him not to tell anyone about this. He nods, though doubting himself that he'd be able to hold it back from Kakashi or Sakura. "Naruto, you can't say you promise me but look like you'll tell someone anyways. You have to promise me, Naruto. And mean it. If you care about me like I know you do, you have to promise to let me heal first before anyone else knows. Promise me," Sasuke says loudly.

Tears form in Naruto's eyes. He nods yes. This time he had to mean it when he said it. Sasuke leans back against the wall. He could tell his friend was even more scared. Sasuke reaches to touch his friend's arm. He pulls away slightly. "Look Naruto, I know you're scared. It's just...right now, I don't want anyone to know about this. It's just too much for even me to handle. I'm not ready for people to know. That kiss wasn't to trick you. I meant it when I kissed you. That kiss wasn't to trick you at all. But please, trust me when I make this kind of judgment. I need some time to deal with this." Naruto looks towards Sasuke again. "I just want some time to get things right. I do care about you, but I'm just not ready for everyone else to know."

Naruto smiles at him, tears still slightly dripping down his cheek. Sasuke motions Naruto towards him. Naruto moves over, letting Sasuke hold him against his beaten body. The pain seemed to melt away from his skin. It didn't matter to him how much his ribs still hurt or how much his body still ached. Having Naruto in his arms was the only thing that seemed to matter to him. Naruto held Sasuke in his own arms, resting his head against his chest. The rhythm of Sasuke's heart beat drummed in his ears. He'd never felt so safe. Naruto rests on Sasuke, his sleepy eyes suddenly closing. Sasuke strokes the blonde hair, feeling the strands between his fingers. It felt soft against his own skin. He could hear the relaxed breathing, knowing Naruto had fallen asleep. He smiles down at him, then rests his head against the wall. Sleep overcomes his worn body. His hands slide to the floor. Naruto opens one eye, reaching his hand over to touch Sasuke's. Sasuke awakes, seeing Naruto's hand. He moves his hand so their fingers intertwine with each other. The two teens fall back asleep, Naruto still resting against Sasuke. The wind blows through the sunlit window. Neither teen aware of the pair of eyes watching them from a distant roof._"Foolish little brother. You think this kid will solve your problems. It's only going to make them more persistent. Just you wait; I'll be back Sasuke. And this time, this attack will hit harder than this one." _The light hitting the roof leaves and once it returns, the figure disappears.

The End...for now.

* * *

Expect a chapter three. This story is about to take a turn for the worse. Please review if you want the third chapter and liked the story so far. I've worked pretty hard on this. 


	3. Healing

_Your body is getting weaker by the hour. Your heart beat is pounding against your rib cage, adrenaline rushing through your entire system. There's no escaping it; you're afraid. You try to hide; try to find any sort of escape so you don't have to face it. But it's burning through you. It's eating at your skin. It's not something that can be easily forgotten nor can you easily rid yourself of it. It's too late. Fear is already winning the battle, even if you try to deny it._

* * *

His sleepy eyes finally open as his body rests against the hospital bed. It's 10:23 in the morning, according to the clock hanging opposite to him. Sasuke looks around the room, noticing flower, candies, and cards spread across the table and seats. _"When did I get here," _Sasuke thinks to himself. A bitter sensation comes to his mouth. _"Naruto." _He checks around the room to see if anyone else is there. A familiar face greets his eyes as he sits on the floor, messing with his vest and picking dirt out from under his fingernails. His brown hair tied back in a pony tail and his familiar green attire instantly brings up a name; Shikamaru. The teenager waits for him to notice. "Hey, I didn't think you'd ever wake up," Shikamaru finally says in an unusual happy tone. "You were out for a good two days. Apparently tons of people came to see you. I just got back from a mission so I thought I'd stop by." He pauses, waiting for him to say something. "So how do you feel?"

Sasuke sits up slightly, noticing bandage after bandage covering his body. A sharp pain runs up through his rib cage, lowering him back down. He tries again, moving more slowly than before. Sitting at an upright position, he's finally able to respond in a feeble voice. "I've been better. Didn't think I had so many fan," he says sarcastically.

Shikamaru smiles, walking to the opposite end of the bed where baskets and bears sprawled across the table in an overflowing manner. "I didn't think you did either. Then again, news spread fast about your recent encounter with your brother. No one actually thought he'd come back just to attack you like that and leave you for dead."

The raven-haired teen looks away from Shikamaru, angered and embarrassed by it. _"I hope that's all they know about what happened," _he thinks to himself. _"But Naruto, I didn't think he'd actually do something that sneaky. He promised me he wouldn't tell anyone about this." _Sasuke grits his teeth, clenching his hand into a fist. He felt betrayed by him. A bitter feeling crawled up the back of his spine. He breathed in, trying to relax. He needed to know what all was said. "What all did you hear?"

"Only that you were beaten pretty good and Naruto found you. Some ANBU spotted Itachi in the forest and asked him about his business. When Hokage got word of this, she sent the Jounin to find you. Found you fast asleep against the wall, Naruto holding you against him and telling them to stay away. They thought you were dead for a moment until they brought you here. That's about it though."

Sasuke unclenched his fist. Naruto hadn't said anything in the first place. He was actually trying to prevent them from taking him to the hospital. At least he tried to. Sasuke smiles. _"So hopefully they still don't know what happened." _Sasuke looks up, seeing two more familiar faces standing in front of his bed. "Oh my gosh, you're ok," Sakura says. She turns over to Shikamaru, slapping his shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me he'd woken up sooner?"

Shikamaru stares at her confused. He waves to Sasuke, tells him to get better, then walks out the door. Sasuke looks over at Naruto, who isn't able to look back at him. His hands nervously fiddle with his hair and jacket. His look is that of a scared puppy. Tears are trying to hold back in his eyes. Sasuke tries to say his name and ask him what was wrong, but Sakura quickly interrupts him. "I was so worried about you, Sasuke. I'm just glad you're ok though. Good thing Naruto was there to help you before anyone else."

Sasuke nods in agreement as the green-eyed girl continues to ramble about how worried sick she was and about how they got him to the hospital. He can't listen to her right now. Naruto's actions are too distracting for even him to think about anything else. Why was he acting so funny? Why did he seem more distant? Was he scared of seeing Sasuke like this? Was he upset for breaking his promise to not take him to the hospital? There was something on his mind, and Sasuke wanted to find out. Before he could, another interruption disturbs him from finding out. "Would you two mind if I talk to Sasuke alone for a bit," Kakashi asks aloud.

Naruto and Sakura nod, walking out of the room. Sasuke takes one last glance at Naruto, mouthing to him that they needed to talk when this was over. Naruto nods, shutting the door behind him. Sasuke looks at his covers as Kakashi moves an assortment of items from a chair then placing it right next to his bed. The two remain silent for a moment. Kakashi speaks first. "I suppose you got away lucky this time," he says.

Sasuke doesn't look in his direction. _"You call this lucky. I have a broken rib from the way this hurts, my body is covered in bandages, I have a blackened eye, a busted lip, and my ass is permanently scarred for life. Not to mention the mental torture this will bring me for the rest of my life. Oh yea...I definitely got away lucky. If only he knew the whole story," _Sasuke says to himself. He doesn't reply to Kakashi. It was obvious to him that he didn't really have to. "So I suppose you think I don't know about what else happened to you besides you getting the life beaten out of you, don't you," Kakashi sneers.

The boy's eyes suddenly widen. He tries to keep his breath steady as his heart beat pounds against his chest. _"He knows." _Sasuke swallows hard, his hand slightly shaking. He tries to hide his quivering bones under the clean sheets. Slivers of sweat drip down his cheek. He could tell Kakashi was watching every detail, letting him know he was correct. Sasuke can feel his teeth chatter. He tries desperately to grit them. Why was he suddenly so fearful? "So I guess I'm right and now you're wondering how I found this out, am I right?" Sasuke doesn't respond. "Your doctor gave me your report to review after they were gone examining you. They found fluid on the back of your pants so they knew more had happened than the fast-spreading news had let on." Kakashi's now on his feet, walking around Sasuke's bed.

Sasuke tries to swallow his pride enough for him to speak. "You don't a damn thing about what happened so just drop it and leave it be," he shouts.

The man's face is suddenly inches away from Sasuke's. His eye glaring at him, the other one covered by his head band. "I know more than you think, Sasuke. Don't play that foolish act with me."

"You don't! You weren't even there to experience it so just drop it and leave it be. I don't want that memory to keep playing in my head. It already scared enough as it is, Kakashi, so just drop it and leave it be," Sasuke shouts, forcing Kakashi to take a couple steps back. Tears stream down the teenagers' face. He looks towards the window, Naruto watching the scene horrified. Sasuke looks back down at the bed as tears dripped down his beaten cheeks. "Please...don't make me relive it again. And don't tell anyone about this. No one else needs to know but me," he finally says.

Kakashi nods in agreement and walks out of the room, leaving Sasuke by himself. Sasuke can feel his whole body tremble; his heart racing as it pounded against his chest. The attack played again in his mind, making him relive the nightmare and the pain. His body stiffens in fear. _"Why? Why does he constantly have to do this to me? Things were already bad enough and now this. I don't think I can stand much more of this. Itachi's already proven his point; I'm weaker than him. Why does he insist on beating me down even more?" _The door quietly opens as Naruto slips his way into Sasuke's room. He sits on the chair, still trying not to make a sound. He can see his friend breaking apart. It wasn't the most common thing for him to see. In fact, he'd never seen him this way before. Not since he first saw him after it happened. The boy stands to his feet, walking over to Sasuke. He wraps his arms around him, feeling his body tremble against his skin. "Please don't cry. I know you're scared but please don't cry," Naruto says, trying desperately not to cry himself.

Sasuke could feel warmth returning to his body as Naruto held Sasuke close. His arms felt like silk as they held him. The trembling finally ceased. Naruto released his hug, sitting next to him on the bed. "I tried to keep your promise, Sasuke. I did. Only they got to you before I could prevent them. I'm really sorry."

Naruto leans back, laying against Sasuke. A small pain crawls up his rib cage. Sasuke ignores it as Naruto lowers his head onto his chest once more. His fingers stroke through the boys blond hair. That same silky feeling slid between his fingers. "You did. I'm not mad at you, Naruto. You tried at least."

"Yea but I promised you no one would find out about this. I swore that I'd give you time to heal before I took you to the hospital. But I was scared that you'd die right there in that room if I didn't get you help. I was scared that Itachi could've come back for you and killed you with me right in the room. I didn't want that. So I let them get you help, knowing you'd wake up and be angry with me."

"Do I seem angry right now," Sasuke asks. Naruto turns raises up to look Sasuke in the face. He nods his head no. "Exactly. I just wish he hadn't broken a rib."

Naruto smiles; just what Sasuke was after. That suppressed any thought of Itachi running through his mind; a miracle that only Naruto's smile could accomplish. He didn't exactly know why nor could he begin to explain it either. All he knew was that every time Naruto smiled, the chaotic storm that raged through his mind would cease. The treacherous waves of his past would calm. The snake of Itachi's being would die along with the rest of the malicious beings. Only Naruto could do that. It was awkward for Sasuke to admit that. Naruto suddenly brings his face close to Sasuke's. "I'm just glad you're ok now. You can go home in three days, according to the doctors. Sakura and I will help as much as you need us to until you're able to do things on your own."

Sasuke smiles back at Naruto. He kisses his lips tenderly at first, releasing before Naruto is ready. Naruto kisses him back, more passionately than before. When they break, Sasuke smiles at him. "I heal quickly so you won't have to worry much about that. Although I might need some help with lifting with this rib." Sasuke points to the water sitting next to him on the table. He could easily enough get it himself, but why miss the opportunity to pick on Naruto? Naruto glares at him, rolls his eyes, and reaches to hand him the glass of water. When Sasuke is done drinking from it, Naruto takes the cup from his hand and places it back on the table. "Thank you, Naruto."

"This is going to get annoying very quickly," Naruto replies, reaching over for a basket of goodies and opening a piece of chocolate. He sticks it in his mouth and eats it happily. The two boys talk for the remainder of the day. Sasuke didn't know why, but having Naruto around always made him want to heal faster or smile more. He was his best friend, but there was more to it. Something much more.

* * *

The black of night hung over the forest trees. Daylight has passed through the village and evening has crept through the world, blanketing the sky in black silk. Sitting motionless against a tree, Itachi watches from above as ANBU search the ground for him. He remains still and silent like an assassin, waiting for it's prey. Once they're caught off guard, he throws shruiken at them, hitting both members on the back of their skull and instantly killing them. He slithers his way out of the tree, leaping to the next one. _"That was almost too simple." _He hears footsteps coming from behind him. The rustling of leaves informs him that there's more that stayed behind. _"It's obvious why they're hunting me. Sasuke. They must've found him and informed the Hokage of the horrendous attack and sent ANBU after me." _Itachi hides among the branches. Once the other six members finally stop, he uses his sharingan to paralyze them and wipes them out with a simple jutsu. _"They don't even know my next move and already they're trying to prevent me from attacking again. This humors me." _

Itachi makes his way out of the forest, his cape close to his body. The night hides him almost completely in the forest, making it hard for ANBU or anyone else coming after him difficult to track. He leaps out of the trees, landing in front of a creek and staring at the city gates. He smiles maliciously at the leaf village. _"If only they knew what was really in store for the only surviving member of the Uchiha clan. If only they knew what he was about truthfully endure." _He snickers venomously as he cleans a blade with a piece of cloth. He stares in the direction of the Uchiha manor. _"If only they knew what was really going to happen next."_

* * *

End of Chapter 3


	4. Untamed Cruelity

_Time passes over like something no one could even imagine. At one moment, you're sitting outside, enjoying the day and watching the sun shine high in the sky and instantaneously, you're watching it set with the loved one right next to you, holding your hand close in their own. It's almost like it takes place before you could even begin to realize it. It seems as if it slips between your fingers and takes your breath away. You love to watch every minute of it, but you hate to watch it slip away. But eventually, everything has to come to an end. Even your time on Earth comes to an end before you want it to._

* * *

The glaring sun light shines bright against the Uchiha manor. The house that once stood in royalty and honor now stood in ruins, aged by time as it passed so quickly over the village. It didn't seem to fit in to the environment it was in. As Sasuke looked over his home, he sighed heavy. He desperately wished he didn't have to come home to this. It was depressing to say the least. "God I wished I didn't have to come home to this," he says to himself. He trudges into his house, slightly holding his rib cage. It was still broken, still sore, and still in pain. "Home sweet home," he says out loud as he enters through the window door.

"Aww c'mon. It's not that bad. It could be worse. I mean, you could be either dead, have no home what so ever, or just be a nobody that lives out of the garbage and can't stand to eat. That would be even worse," his optimistic friend, Naruto, says chiming in to the conversation.

Sasuke rolls his eyes, looking back at his friend as he tried his best to make his way through the house the best he could. As he made his way back into his bedroom, rewinds of the nightmare that still burned in his head began to replay once again. He felt his skin begin to shake. His body began numb. He felt tremors run up and down his spine. Naruto notices his friends fear. He leans in close to him, holding his hand. "It's ok," he says in a comforting voice. "I promise I will never ever let Itachi hurt you like that again."

Sasuke smiles at him, gripping his hand close to his body. He looks at the sheets and pushes them aside, unable to step into the room until Naruto nicely nudged Sasuke in the room. It was amazing how Naruto was able to help him out like that. Sasuke looks at the very spot Itachi held him and raped him. It was a memory that still bored into his soul. Naruto lets Sasuke have his time to think. He knew how hard it must've been to stand in this room, let alone in this house for all the bad memories that it had. For all he knew, he'd never experienced something like this before. He didn't even know who his parents were. His mom and dad had died when he was just a baby. He dreamed of what they'd be like sometimes. But that didn't even compare to what Sasuke had gone through. He knew his parents. Naruto remained silent, just thinking about how hard it must be for Sasuke. Sasuke looks back at Naruto, who stood awkwardly behind him. "It's weird to see me like this, isn't it," Sasuke asks. Naruto nods. "It's what happens when you have to experience something like that. Life happens."

Naruto smiles, agreeing with him. He didn't even know why he was smiling in the first place. Maybe because he could relate to it or maybe because he understood what Sasuke was talking about. He had his share of bad memories he'd like to forget, like how the whole village used to turn their backs to him. But it wasn't something that he honestly understood at that point in time. "I guess life has to happen. Otherwise, we'd be trapped in the same hurt and pain everyday whether we'd like it or not," Naruto adds in. Sasuke nods. Naruto speaks up. "But maybe it's the things we go through that allows us to grow and become better people. If we didn't, we'd be lost in translation. Or at least that's what I've been taught."

Sasuke stares at Naruto in amazement. He'd never seen that side to Naruto before. A mature, sensitive Naruto that could fully understand what Sasuke was experiencing and what he was going through. But how could he? He didn't have a family. He didn't know what kind of hurt that felt like. All he knew that was similar to what Sasuke knew was what complete emptiness and lonliness felt like. That was about it. How could Naruto fully understand it? Sasuke smiles, weakly walking over to Naruto. "You amaze me, you know that?"

Naruto smiles back at Sasuke. "I seem to do that a lot. You seem to smile whenever you're around me."

"Well I can't help but to smile when I'm around you. You always seem to be there whenever I really need you."

Narutos' royal blue eyes stared right into Sasukes'. He just looked at him with such love and sincerity that he didn't know how to fully take it in. "I'm always going to be there for you when you need me," Naruto says. "I have to protect the person that I..." Naruto pauses awkwardly, backing away from Sasuke. Sasuke leaned in closer, almost urging him to finish what he had to say. Naruto clears his throat, sighing. "I have to protect the person I love," he finally spills.

The raven-haired boy smiles at his friend, kissing his soft lips. He pushes him against the wall, kissing him more passionately than he ever thought he could. His tongue explored Naruto's sweet mouth, tasting every inch of it. He felt Naruto's soft skin, his bare belly like a soft blanket that he never wanted to release. Naruto's hand reached to the edge of Sasuke's shirt, removing it from his body. Sasuke allowed him to, still noting the bandage. Naruto pushes Sasuke to the floor, lying against him. His hands gently stroke Sasuke's sore ribs. To Sasuke's surprise, it didn't hurt. In fact, it felt nice to have Naruto's hand glide against his broken rib. Naruto kisses down Sasuke's skin. First his jaw line, then his shoulders, his chest, his upper stomach, his belly button, his lower stomach, down to his groin. Naruto reaches for his pant buttons, undoing them and throwing them aside. Naruto's tongue tastes it first before letting his mouth explore. Sasuke feels himself running his fingers through his hair. He bit his lower lip anxiously, holding back whatever sighs he could. "Oh god, Naruto don't do this to me," he says, though knowing he didn't want Naruto to stop.

Of course, Naruto couldn't stop. He had to begin teasing him, moving up and down quickly then suddenly slowly, just to hear Sasuke struggle to not moan. Of course, Sasuke didn't hold onto that for long. "Hah...Naruto," he found himself saying aloud. Naruto smiles at him with victory. Sasuke raises up, pushing Naruto down and placing himself on top. "You couldn't handle it any better," Sasuke says with cockiness, starting at Naruto's neck and working his way down his warm body.

Naruto felt tremors of pleasure run up and down his spine. He shifts his shoulders as Sasuke's hand reach down his pants, stroking him. His hands felt soft against him. Once Sasuke knew he had Naruto's attention, his mouth moved lower down on Naruto. He removed Naruto's pants, throwing them on his own and letting his whole mouth explore, his tongue making circles as it goes. Naruto clenched his hands tight. He bites his lower lip hard, trying not to sigh. When Sasuke starts to tease him, Naruto quickly loses that battle. A small moan escapes his pink lips. Sasuke smiles at Naruto. Naruto pushes Sasuke back down on the floor, adjusting himself and straddling him. Once he was in position, Naruto looks down at Sasuke. "If you don't want me to do this, just let me know. I know you've had a lot happen in this room and I don't want to push your limits."

Sasuke loves how Naruto was willing to ask before he did. He nods, smiling up at Naruto. Naruto thrusts forward, his skin touching Sasuke's bare skin. As he moves, Sasuke's lower lip begins to quiver. His nails dig into Naruto's skin, holding it close to him. He hints Naruto to move faster. When he does, Sasuke can feel himself sighing loud into Naruto's ear. He grips onto his back, holding Naruto so he can feel his skin on his own as Naruto moves. Naruto moans louder and louder. "Sasu...Sasuke...huh Sasuke...I'm about to give."

Sasuke smiles at him, ready to give himself. He holds onto Naruto tight. Naruto moans loud, breathing heavily then pausing. Sasuke feels the slight dripping against his skin. That white, sticky fluid that Itachi left on his jeans was now inside him. Naruto looks down at himself blushing. Sasuke laughs. "I guess you liked it more than you let on."

Naruto laughs nervously, lying down next to him. Sasuke noticed that he was still hard. He takes his opportunity to take control. Before Naruto's able to stand up and walk away, Sasuke pins him to the ground. "It's my turn," he says. Naruto stares up at him, suddenly smiling. Sasuke thrusts forward, moving against Naruto's skin and feeling those sighs build up again. Sasuke could feel his forehead dripping. Naruto holds Sasuke's back, his nails digging into to Sasuke's back. He could feel a slight bit of blood drip against his fingertips. "Naruto...Naru...oh god, Naruto," Sasuke finds himself saying. He suddenly stops and looks down at himself. It's messy and sticky. He removes himself, looking over at Naruto. "So does that mean I can claim you as my first and me as your first," Sasuke asks.

Naruto looks over at him then looks back up at the ceiling. "Yea I guess I can live with that." Sasuke smiles, grabbing the blanket. Naruto turns to his side. Sasuke turns on his side, his arms wrapping around Naruto's body. Naruto inches closer to him, his bare body touching Sasuke's. Sasuke holds Naruto close, letting sleep take over his body.

* * *

As night hovers over the tiny village, Sasuke awakes and looks at the clock. He's still holding Naruto in his arms. He's still lying in that same spot. Just something didn't feel quite right to him. He looks around the room, completely forgetting to even check the time. "Hmm...did you have fun," a voice suddenly says from the shadows. When it moves forward, Itachi's face appears from the moonlight. Sasuke shakes Naruto awake. Naruto, who seemed to have gotten up earlier, is wearing boxers and a tank top. His eyes are dead-set on Itachi. His hand is shaking in fear. "You must be the brat that saved my little brother's life," Itachi sneers, walking closer towards Naruto.

Before Sasuke gets the chance to speak, Itachi zips over to him and throws him against the wall, using chakra to hold him there. Naruto sits motionless on the ground, fear taking over his body as Itachi leans closer towards him. "So do you know all of what's happened to my poor little brother? The fact that he's been tortured by the meer thought of me. The fact that he can't fully accept that he will never defeat me. Or the fact that he's weak."

"Don't speak your vile to me you worthless piece of shit," Naruto growls. Sasuke looks over at his friend. Naruto's eyes are suddenly red. Kyuubi. Definitely not a good time for Naruto to have him activated.

"Somebody apparently is angry with me," Itachi replies, noticing that the markings on Naruto's face have becomed more inflamed and a blood-lust scent suddenly filled the room. "Apparently someones very upset. Let's just see how they feel when something unexpected happens to them." Before Naruto has a chance to react, Itachi grabs Naruto by his hair, holding a kunai knife close to his throat. Itachi throws the boy near Sasuke, removing the rest of his clothes and pinning him down to the floor. Itachi looks up at Sasuke. "You think you've been through enough pain yet," he sneers. "Try this on for size."

Sasuke watches in horror as Itachi rapes Naruto. Naruto screams out in pain, unable to move his tiny body. His small figure suddenly becomes covered with scars and bruises. His whole body screams in pain as Itachi thrusts himand beats him. All Sasuke can do is watch. His eyes wide open. His mouth gaped. His hands trembling uncontrollably. When Itachi finishes and dresses himself, he throws the boy across the room. Naruto struggles to catch his breath. His beaten body is weak and nearly defenseless. Tears stream down his tiny face. Sasuke never felt his blood boil more than it did at this point. His own eyes were filled with tears. Naruto did nothing to deserve this. Naruto didn't deserve this. Suddenly, the chakra melts off Sasuke's body. Sasuke grabs a kunai knife and thrusts it at Itachi. It stabs him right in his back. Itachi screams out in pain. Sasuke removes the blade, seeing the blood drip. Itachi turns towards his little brother, holding the wound. "You piece of shit," he screams.

The man moves towards Sasuke, forcing Sasuke to cut him on his chest. It stops Itachi's advances long enough for Sasuke to move. Itachi stops, knowing he had to get medical help. He stares up at his brother, his faint eyes looking at him. "Don't think you have much time left," he sneers and disappears into the night.

Sasuke, holding the knife in front of him, suddenly falls to the floor. He looks over at Naruto, who's shaking and crying. Of all the things he ever had to see, few things could even come close to that. Though still in a great amount of pain, he was able to hold Naruto. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry I couldn't stop him. I let him hurt you like that. I'm so sorry."

The young teenager began to cry uncontrollably. He never wanted to see something like that again. It scared him more than he'd ever admit to. It was a nightmare he'd only ever dreamed about that suddenly turned into reality faster than he was ready for it to. Out of the depths of his horrified mind, Sasuke never would've thought Itachi would have the nerve to that. Now...this battle became personal. Whatever power he had left, he promised to protect Naruto by whatever means possible. He promised to avenge him for this. Even if it risked his own life. He promised to never let this happen again.

* * *

The End.


	5. Course Of Action

Suffocate

Chapter 5: Course of Action

By: Innocent Attraction

Characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

Sasuke slowly walks the winding streets of Konoha. It's near midnight, but his mind wasn't going to let him sleep. He was too worked about what had happened to Naruto. He could still see Narutos' face, riddled with pain and grief. The fear that illuminated in his eyes. It was too much for him. He never wanted to see the person that meant everything to him like that again. He had to figure out a plan; anything that might stop Itachi from ever hurting them again. The thought of his own attack weakened him enough. Narutos' attack made him more self-sure this was the only choice he had. He just didn't know that he could think of something himself. He had to talk to someone. Stepping into an apartment building, he walks up to the front desk to check the names of peoples' apartment numbers. Finding the name he needed, he walks to the stairs and heads to the top floor. Once he's there, he searches for the door number. At the very end of the hall way is door 52. He knocks on the door hard, trying not to disturb anybody else near him but trying to awake the person that lived inside. He sees the door handle move. When the door is cracked open, he knows that they're home. "Sasuke, what are you doing here this time of night?"

"Kakashi-sensei, I need to talk to you about Itachi. It's important," Sasuke responds. "I need to figure out a way to stop him before it happens again."

Smoothing back his messy, silver-colored hair, Kakashi lets his student in. The apartment, surprising to Sasuke, is neat and tidy. Things are put away in an orderly manor, it smelled like lavender…with a hint of burnt pizza, and the only thing that frankly didn't surprise Sasuke was the porn movies, magazines, and books that lined a cupboard next to the T.V. Sitting on the couch with Kakashi next to him, Sasuke explains himself. "Look I know my brother is a strong ninja. But I can't let him do this to me or Naruto again. It's sickening how I've let him bother me for so long. I need a way to stop him. Any way. I thought you might be the person to come to for help.

"Well I can't say my brain is exactly ready for planning at…11:58 at night. I was in the middle of a nice dream to say the least." From the expression on Sasukes' face, Kakashi stopped himself from continuing with describing about his dream. "I don't think I'm the best person to ask, but seeing as how you're so concerned for Narutos' safety, I suppose I could help as much as I could."

Startled by that remark, Sasuke immediately begins to blush. "It's not just for Naruto for your information. It's for him and me both. I can't defeat him alone. I'm not as powerful as him, but if I think of a good plan, I could stop him from attacking me again. It's not fair for me to sit around and let myself be completely riddled with fear while Itachi gets to reek havoc in my mind. I can't do this alone though."

Seeing the determination in his eyes, Kakashi agrees with Sasuke. "At least you realize you aren't strong enough to defeat him entirely. Not only having the mangekyo sharingan and a master of nin-jutsu, he's incredible with tai-jutsu as well he's quick on his feet and with his hands. He could kill you if he wanted to." Sasuke frowns a bit. "But if you could think of a plan that would limit his use of his eyes, then you could weaken him a bit. But you can't do this alone."

Sasuke nods. "I've already figured that out. I tried to protect Naruto by myself and look what happens; he's taken to the hospital for the same reason I went."

Kakashi smiles. _"It's rather funny to see him like this. Sasuke's never been this protective over anyone. And he's trying to cover up the fact that he might actually like Naruto more than a friend. He doesn't want to admit it to himself that he might love Naruto. Charming," _Kakashi thinks. "Look Sasuke, I don't have a plan right this minute. It's late. Meet me tomorrow at the training grounds though. I'll have something then or we'll work something out. I'll discuss this with Hokage as well."

"I wish you wouldn't get other ninjas involved in this, Kakashi-sensei," Sasuke says. "The whole town already is looking at me in fear. I surely doubt the other ninjas would be fond in me trying to set up a plan to attack my brother."

"We can't handle this by ourselves, Sasuke. ANBU black-ops will know more tactical plans on how to. Hokage will probably have more ideas or plans for us to use if we can't think of anything. There are other ninjas in this city willing to protect you. I know Iruka would give his life for Naruto. I'm sure he would for you as well. Now get some sleep. I want you to meet me there at 8:00."

Exiting the room, Sasuke walks down the hall with his hands tightly packed in his pockets. He exit's the large building, making his way to his house. "I guess I'm alone in this situation. Kakashi wants to get others involved. No one else needs to be. This is my problem. They can't fight him. I have to."

* * *

Tsunade taps on her desk, waiting for Kakashi-sensei to come down to her office. He awoke her in the middle of the night just to ask if he would meet her in the morning. Of course he was late though. It was a trait that annoyed Tsunade more than anything. "Shizune, get me my tea at once," she screams.

Shizune, nearly falling over Tsuandes' pig, quickly runs into the room, sitting the freshly made jasmine tea on her teachers' desk. She backs away, hoping the tea would satisfy her mistress and calm her bad temper. Then again, the bad temper was part of Tsunade frankly no one would ever be able to change. Shizune had grown accustom to it ever since she started training with her. _"Apparently she didn't get much sleep last night. She's crankier than normal, and normally she's a bit cranky anyways. Oh I hope she doesn't throw another ninja threw the door like she did yesterday." _"Is there anything else you need, my lady," Shizune asks politely.

"Yes. How about dragging that horrible Kakashi Hatake here. He's over an hour late. For something important he wanted to tell me, he sure doesn't make it seem that important."

Shizune smiles nervously. Just then, Kakashi opens the door and walks through the office. "Sorry I'm late. My alarm didn't go off at the right time this morning. It's nothing to fret over though." Seeing Tsunades' upset face, he knew he was in for a few minutes of being nagged at. "Judging by the expression on your face, you don't look too happy."

"Oh I love getting woken up in the middle of the night. It's the reason I live; to have Kakashi leap through my window and wake me up, telling me something important about Sasuke and to meet with you later. I love those kinds of mornings." Tsunade pauses, fixing her long blond hair. "Now, let's get down to business. Why did you need to speak with me?"

"Sasuke came over to my house. He said he needed help planning an attack against Itachi or a way to at least keep him away from him and Naruto both. Those boys are at risk for an attack at any time. Itachi is sly; he could easily sneak back into the city without ever being detected by anyone and attack them again. He could kill them and not make a sound. This is serious, Hokage. We have to help my team."

Tsunade turns her chair away from Kakashi. This was a persisting problem occurring. She was briefed on Itachi and the Akatsuki by Jiraiya before she ever took the job. He warned her of Itachis' strength and power, even warning her about the connection he had to the leaf village. It surprised her a bit and even made her a bit anxious. She turned back around to Kakashi. "I've thought about that for a while. You must understand the circumstances, Kakashi. Itachi Uchiha is a powerful ninja. I'm sure you're aware of that. You've fought him before." Tsunade pauses. "But there isn't very many ninjas in this town that could fight him and not get killed or end up in the hospital."

Kakashi seemed a bit surprised by this. He knew that would probably be the case though. Itachi was a formidable opponent. Taking him on would be a definite visit to the hospital…or worse. "What about Jiraiya? He could protect them for now while we think of a course of action to take?"

"He's out of town, gathering information at this point. He should be back tomorrow though. I'll discuss this matter of business with him tomorrow. For now, there isn't much we can do. We'll have ANBU black-ops guard watch the outer gates of the village as well as Naruto and Sasuke. Itachi won't attack them if they're protected by a multiple number of black-ops. He wouldn't risk attention to himself."

Kakashi nodded, but he wished Tsunade would try to do more. She was leaving him in the dark without a light to guide his way. But at this point, he knew there wasn't much the village could do at this point. He felt a bit defeated. He wanted to have an answer for Sasuke on what to do. As he was about to leave, Tsunade calls his name once more. "Do not let Sasuke or Naruto know about the ANBU black-ops watching them. Lord knows what Sasuke could possibly be thinking right now."

Kakashi nods. "I figured she'd drop that on me. Sasuke wouldn't take that news likely. But for now, at least the threat of another attack is postponed for a while."

* * *

Sitting against the trunk of a tree, Sasuke sat in the shade, trying to avoid as much of the suns rays as he could. It was hotter than normal. He felt a bit of sweat drip from his cheek. _"He's late…again. He probably went to meet with the Hokage about our little chat last night. Figures."_ When Kakashi came into view, Sasuke stood up and walked over to him. "Any good news to share with me?"

Kakashi shook his head. "I don't have anything planned at this point. Nor does the Hokage. With the village still trying to rebuild and other ninjas looking out for Orochimaru, I don't think we have much choice but to go alone with this one. But I'm not letting you do this by yourself. I'll help as much as I can."

Sasuke smiles. He knew if he ever needed someone to help him, Kakashi would try his best to be there. _"I hope this can work out." _"Kakashi. How are we going to do this anyways? Itachis' strong. We've made that point clearly. But he's like every human being; he has a weakness."

A light bulb suddenly turns on in Sasukes' head. "His eyes. As much as he shows them off, they use a large amount of chakra. My father explained both forms of sharingan and drilling me on how the mangekyo sharingan, although powerful, uses a lot of chakra. If he uses that enough and doesn't kill us, we might be able to attack him while he's weak."

Kakashi was surprised that Sasuke had picked up on that. He knew himself that the sharingan used an incredible amount of chakra up. Judging by how much Itachi used his sharingan, he knew at some point, he'd run low on chakra and not be able to make hand signs anymore. Plus he also knew Kisame wasn't with him. It would create a bigger disadvantage for Itachi. "I think I might have a plan. But we have to find a way out of town with the ANBU black-ops interfering us. They're surrounding the gates of the village."

Sasuke nodded. He was more than satisfied about the way this meeting was going. _"Don't think you've weakened me for good. I'm coming after you, Itachi. You'll regret ever laying a hand on Naruto."_

* * *

On the outskirts of town, Itachi rests against a tree. His forehead is dripping with sweat. His body is weak and dehydrated. His chakra levels were low from using his sharingan. He was wounded from fighting ANBU the entire night. "Apparently, I've got the village in an uproar from the recent attack against Sasuke and Naruto. I don't know why they keep sending ANBU after me. They should know by now that it's useless."

Standing up, he checks to make sure there isn't anyone around. Jumping down from the tree, he walks over to a small creek and takes a drink. The water is surprisingly clear and clean, a brisk cool taste greeting his lips. He looks back towards the village. "Hmm…pathetic. I don't have any plan to try to even stop me. Pitiful. They have enough information on me. Why they don't use that for their own good is beyond me."

Leaping back into a tree, Itachi climbs to the top and stares at Konoha. "Then again, maybe they know the risk of Sasuke is something they should pay close attention to. They don't even know what I'm really after." He devilishly smiles. "My plan isn't even to try and kill anyone. They'll never guess what my true intention is."

* * *

The End


End file.
